Volunteers for cyclone relief work arrested yet again

by Nam Davies

Tuesday, 17 June 2008 19:07

Activists and volunteers, who were helping victims of Cyclone Nargis, have been arrested yet again. Among those arrested were the members of 88 Generation Students, National League for Democracy (NLD), as well as individuals. (Mizzima has posted the news of the 88-Gen students, who have been arrested and it can be viewed on http://www.mizzimaburmese.com/news/inside-burma/1/1296-2008-06-16-12-16-11 ). Around five more activists namely Ma Sizar, Ko Zaw, Tin Maung Oo, Ma Ni Moe Hlaing and Toe Kyaw Hlaing were arrested on June 12. They were arrested by the Special Branch of the police from separate places. "They are being interrogated at Insein prison's special ward but have not yet been produced before the court," a colleague of those arrested told Mizzima. Toe Kyaw Hlaing was arrested from his home in Tamwe Township. The VCDs of the cyclone relief campaign and his computer were also seized by the police. The 'Myittar Paungku' volunteer group was recently formed with the 88 Generation Students, who were helping the cyclone victims in Bogale and Labutta Townships of Irrawaddy Division. The authorities have come down harshly on the students by issuing an 8-point regulation to control the volunteers in cyclone relief in Rangoon and Irrawaddy Division, a few volunteers said. "We encountered about 30 checkpoints along the road to Dadeye. These checkpoints are just about one furlong apart. The authorities manning these checkpoints asked the volunteers and activists many questions. These local authorities said that they had to ask questions as per the instruction given by the higher authority," a volunteer, who is into relief work said on condition of anonymity. The local authorities, who are manning these checkpoints, are Organizers of 'Union Solidarity and Development Association' (USDA) and village level Peace and Development Council (PDC) members. Famous actor and comedian Zarganar and former Sports Journal Editor Zaw Thet Htwe, who had helped the cyclone victims and led the relief work campaign were also arrested recently by the authorities.  < Prev   Next >